Sonic:The Last Standing
by JessicaK7
Summary: When Robotnick's forces have been overtaken, and the mastermind presumed dead all too easily, Sonic is left suspicious. Celebrations are at peak five years later, but are interrupted by hauntings of the past. Riddles lead to reality, and everyone is affected. And when disaster strikes everyone at once, will Sonic be held up by many, or standing tall alone?
1. Defeat Of The Inevitable

_**Sonic: The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Defeat Of The Inevitable**_

**Explosions** shook the ground. Dirt from the dusty cavernous area rose, making some of the team of Freedom Fighters breathe laboriously.

Another explosion from Doctor Robotnick's missiles shook the earth, but banked too far left, avoiding the massive army of Swatbots, and the Freedom Fighters as well. They were somewhat protected by a small dugout, but that shelter would not last forever.

"Run y'all! This fleets gonna blow any second!" Bunnie yelled, fearing some would not hear her over the powerful explosions that left everyone's ears ringing.  
"You don't have to tell me twice." Sonic ran in the opposite direction, away from the once glorious army of improved Swatots, now demolished and programmed to explode by the push of a button.  
The button, in which Tails was holding.  
"Don't push it yet Tails! I want to see just how many there are..." Sally said, observing the immediate area, "If we don't do this right, we could cause a landslide!"  
"Who cares? We can just split if a landslide happens, and Robotnick can take a nice dirt nap." Sonic said snatching the button from Tails' hands.  
"Don't you dare! We're not as fast as you, we could very well be caught up in it if you detonate it now!" Rotor took the controller back "Have you forgotten what we came here for?"  
"Yes, yes his new plans, I know! But if we finish him now then we won't have to look for plans anymore! It'll be over! Wait- I have an idea."  
Sonic took the remote back and ran toward the Swatots.  
"Get away from here, now! I'm going to finish this!" Sonic shouted back, hoping he wasn't too far away.  
They clearly understood, since they were clearing the area; Sonic hoped he was making the right choice.  
If it wasn't then it could cost him dearly.

The wind whistled in his ears as he ran; his quills were becoming straighter and straighter with the violent recoil of the wind.  
He was coming up on the Swatbots; more and more began to pour out of the entrance.  
"The entrance...I could just veer into the entrance." Sonic said to himself, the robots vastly approaching.  
"But what's the fun in that?"  
He pressed the button.  
Almost instantaneously, the robots exploded around him. He had to dodge the debris from the wreckage, a robot head even landed in his arms.  
"A worthy souvenir, but I already have one...well wait, this is the upgraded version isn't i-"  
His voice was caught when he realized he was falling.

The robot head he had in his hands shattered when he hit a ledge.  
"Well...there goes that memory." He tried to pull himself up,but the rocks jagged edges tore into his legs, making him cry out in pain.  
He was forced to let go.  
He tried to balance himself; find some sort of maneuver to land safely even though he didn't know what he would be landing on.  
"Jagged rocks, water, heck...for all I know it could be more Swa-"  
He landed with a hard thump on his back. Moaning, he sat up, stars in his eyes.  
"I...kinda wish it was just some 'bots. But no it had to be concrete!"  
He stood up with a groan, and began walking in the darkness.  
"Helllooooooo? Anyone important in here?"  
Suddenly he heard screams up ahead; he ran towards them, expecting to see animals in distress or someone he knew.  
"Robotnik! What are you doing?!"  
Sonic stared as he saw the horrific sight.

Robotnik was experimenting on a white cat who was strapped to the metal bed.  
Her face was a picture of horror and pain; whatever clothes she had when she came were faded and tearing. Robotnik turned and smiled at the hedgehog.  
"Why hello there!" His voice was rasping and unsteady, like he had swallowed a handful of rocks.  
"Care to join me? I am only making history before your eyes! Dear Gale here is a fine contribution to science is she not?" He motioned to her, expecting some sort of claim. "You..." She coughed harshly, then continued, "A-are a...sick man...you know that? You ca...can...go to he-" Her voice cut short by a coughing fit.

Ivo pressed a small button in response, giving her an electric shock.  
She howled in pain; Sonic couldn't take it any more. He launched himself at Robotnik,taking him down and also turning the machine off.  
"How's it feel, Ivo?" He began by throwing into the wall,but he made no sound.  
"Do you realize how much pain you've caused? How much suffering you've made?!"  
He threw him into the metal bed; Sonic heard bones crack,yet Ivo didn't so much as yelp.  
He heard rumbling.  
"The robots...your robots are being destroyed as we speak, Ivo. Everything you've ever built is either destroyed or being destroyed. Just like you destroyed MY home."  
He slammed him in the right wall.  
No sound.  
"MY friends!"  
Into a computer monitor, shards of glass pierced Ivo's skin.  
But he didn't flinch.  
"MY FAMILY!"  
Sonic threw the once grand doctor across the room.  
"Why is he so silent?" Sonic thought to himself as he freed Gale.  
"Can you stand up? Do you need me to help you?" Sonic asked, keeping an eye on the doctor, who was stirring.  
"Don't touch me...I'm a monster..." She said quietly, as she tried to sit up, but with no avail.  
"We're all monsters when we've been tampered by him...and trust me, I'm a popular experiment." Sonic said as he picked her up realizing how light she was.  
And that she had something on her back.  
"You don't understand, Sonic...these were not here before..."  
She opened up her broad white wings.  
They were covered in stitches, it appeared that they were grafted on. The girl couldn't hold them open for long, and let them droop limp in front and behind Sonic.  
He put her down gently.  
This was the last straw.  
Ivo looked up expectantly,  
"My...beautiful...creation, you are a living work of art my avian feline..!"  
"Shut up already!" Sonic punched him in the back of his skull, instantly making him tumble over.  
More rumbling. His wristband chirped on.  
"Sonic! Can you hear me? You need to get out of there! It's an unstable rock cavern, it could cave in on you any minute now!" Nicole shocked his arm.  
"Alright Nicole, alright I'm going but I sure am going to miss this pla-"  
The ground shuddered, suddenly chasms spread out from everywhere.  
"Oh no! Gale!" Sonic almost forgot. He turned back to only realize she was gone.

"I guess she made it out on her own, but how..?" Sonic ran as fast as he could back to the place where he dropped in.  
"I hope I can do this, wait what am I saying? Of course I can."  
Sonic began to build momentum by running in circles, then ran up the wall.  
The wall shuddered, making it hard for Sonic get some leverage.  
"I don't need another free fall! This isn't making it any easier!"  
The hole above began to close.  
"Oh no, no, no,no you don't!"  
He jumped, praying that the momentum was enough to carry him out of the rapidly closing tunnel.  
"There!" Even though dirt covered his legs, he was out.  
He was alive.  
But...what about Robotnik?  
"Sonic, your okay!" Tails flew in from above, while everyone else ran in, careful not to step on the robot debris.  
"Man, Rotor! Tails! You guys are both a genius! That self destruct code worked like a charm! There's nothing left of the Swatbot army." Sonic freed himself from the dirt, dusting himself off.  
"Wait, what happened to ze docter? Where iz he?" Antione helped Sonic stand up after the mini-war he had been through.  
"Ivo...Ivo is through guys. If you saw him you would have said the same thing. He looked...insane. He didn't look like a genius anymore...he didn't think like one either. My guess is that he locked himself down there and set up those Swatbots as a defense, because I took a look around; there were no other entrances." Sonic looked down at where he emerged from the ground; it looked in touched, like it had never opened.

"That explains why they were so easy to hack into..." Tails said, kicking a Swatbot arm "Some defense.".  
"He could have escaped, Sonic. This is Robotnik were talking about." Sally was examining a Swatbot torso, searching for the hard drive.  
"No we're not, Sal. He was different; something happened to him...something went terribly wrong...I just don't know what." Sonic and the others fell silent.  
"If I may inter on your conversation, I have a statement." Nicole said, pretending to be considerate.  
"Yes, Nicole?" Sally said grinning.  
"If Ivo Robotnik and his robots are out if commission, then doesn't that make the citizens of Mobius free once more?" Nicole said, and even though a computer used a great deal of sarcasm.  
"Why, yes...yes it-it does...!" Sally said, tears started to flow.  
All of them, they were finally free...even Sonic could not help but shed a tear that day. Privately of course.  
"We did it...Mom..Dad." Sonic stared at a picture once back home.  
"We're free now...your free now."  
What could he say? Freedom wasn't a natural thing for him...and neither were his tears of joy that night.


	2. Freedom Games

_**Sonic:The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Freedom Games**_

**In **the fifth year of the Mobian's beloved freedom Sonic, now twenty one, and the other used to be freedom fighters annually celebrate the defeat of Doctor Ivo Robotnik. This celebration became known as the Freedom Games, which is in truth similar to our Olympic Games.

In the beginning years of Mobius' new freedom, the Freedom Games were only celebrated within the circle of the Freedom Fighters. Since then, the Freedom Games became overwhelmingly popular, and was soon celebrated planet wide.

These games were anything but organized. In fact, most of the contests were flat out hilarious instead of challenging. Some were indeed physical, again like our Olympic Games. Sonic favored these especially, just because of the crowd. His sense of enduring freedom, pride, and confidence made him a symbol and trademark of the Freedom Games.

He was at every game. Literally.

He would run all over the world, going to different sites and competing in multiple rounds. This celebration always would endure for a week, so by the time Sonic was through he would be out like a light for a day or more.

Sonic recounted these things while getting ready for his games at home.

Right here in the newly built Knotnhole.

"So Tails...think Shadow will show this year?" Sonic asked casually, noting that Tails, even though not having to worry about defending Knotnhole any more, was still tinkering with machinery.

"I bet he won't; he's kinda a free spirit, hey hand me that wrench." Tails said holding out his hand from under the monitor he was working on.

"But he did the first year, it was pretty fun, plus it made the racing competitions interesting for once." Sonic handed Tails the wrench.

"Weren't those taken out because of you?" Tails couldn't help but chuckle, "I mean if you had not sneaked in there after they told you not to..." Tails didn't finish the sentence, but looked up at Sonic expectantly.

"Hey, these legs got a mind of their own sometimes; if they want to run they run; no stopping it." Sonic stated just as if it was a legit fact of life.

"In fact...I need to get moving; I don't want to miss the first round." Sonic began to run out.

"You? Miss it? Please..."

"If it can happen to you, it can happen to me."

"I'm not late!"

"Yes you are."

"Am not!"

"Oh yes! Like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that..."

"Shut up Sonic! You'll be late!"

"Speak for yourself."

"I said shut up!"

Sonic ran off. He was glad that Tails, despite his smart demeanor, hadn't grown up on him. The proof was that he could still pick on him.

And that Tails would get promptly irritated.

Sonic ran to the outside of the new Knotnhole village to see that everyone was already starting the makeshift games.

"Hey everyone! Kinda slept late." Sonic gave a nonchalant shrug.

"Ya just have to try this shugah! Your type of athletic people would get a kick out of it." Bunnie was on some sort of obstacle course, the track seemed to be moving from under her, making her significantly faster. There were hurdles, rope swigs, and crawl spaces all across the moving track.

"That's got to be difficult...your so much faster on that thing! Almost as fast as...well no, your not at supersonic speed yet." Sonic began stretching in preparation for one of the courses.

"I've tried it already. It's a wild ride, but I don't really suggest i-" Sally was interrupted by a rush of wind of Sonic getting on the track.

"He never really gets sober doesn't he?" Sally sighed.

"HOOOOLLLY CRAAP!" Sonic going two times faster on a dense obstacle course was a sight of tremendous danger.

But hey, this how he liked it.

He jumped over the rope swings, under the crawl spaces, things were starting to get overwhelming.

"I can do this! I can do this!"

He swerved off the track by accident.

"I CAN'T DO THIS! I CAN'T DO THIS!" He screamed, yet cackled at the same time.

Sonic immediately rammed head first into the oak tree in front of him.

"Sonic! Are you okay over there?" Sally ran over laughing her head off.

"Are you going to help me or just sit there laughing?" Sonic's quills were stuck in the tree trunk, making him pinned upside down; he looked ridiculous, but was laughing also. He tried pulling, but his large quills were stuck tight, and him being upside down wasn't exactly helping.

Sally sat down.

"You bet I am." She whipped out a camera., took pictures, and grabbed his arm.

"What would you do without me?" Sally pulled the hedgehog free.

They both sat in silence. It seemed odd to have Sonic quiet.

"What 'cha thinking about?" Sally leaned against his shoulder sweetly.

"That day...can you believe it was five whole years ago?" Sonic looked down at Sally.

She, in Sonic's opinion, was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Ever since Robotnik had been overthrown, she seemed more at peace, relaxed. And in turn, more beautiful. Her style had changed since then, she actually had time for jewelry for once. She wore a blue pendant with earrings to match. Bunnie finally got to be her hair dresser, just like she always wanted.

Sally had taken on a total transformation within the five years. Sonic had saw it coming just as much as he saw the tree his quills were aching from.

She really looked like a princess.

"I feel just the way you do...it feels like we're flying when were not under his thumb." Sally flipped her now longer hair back behind her.

"We've had a lot of fun since then hmm?" Sonic leaned down closer to her face.

"You bet we have." Sally rose slightly.

They were ever so close once again.

"Mmm hmm! Syrup my pancakes boys and girls 'cause that is sweet!" Bunnie walked over to where they were sitting.

"Hate for me just to interrupt your little...conversation, but we best be gettin' these games here started! Folks are comin' in left and right for sure!" Bunnie walked away, waiting for the two to follow.

"Oh Bunnie!" Sally blushed intensely "Wait- she really is right; the games are starting without us." Sally took Sonic's hand and let him help her up.

Sonic looked in the distance; Tails was there.

"Man, we are late! Because there's Tails! And...Shadow? Ha, Tails you owe me big time!" Sonics yelled over to Tails, rubbing his index finger and thumb together.

"We didn't shake on it Sonic!" Tails winked happily, glad he didn't bet on it.

"I always seem to forget the important part don't I?" Sonic threw his hands up in the air.

"Every time. But hey, Knuckles was wanting you."

Sonic strolled over to see Knuckles and some others at multiple tables.

Arm wrestling...?

"Dude, you know what happens when we arm wrestle...I always win." Sonic jeered.

"Yeah...if you don't cheat first." Knuckles said sitting at one of the tables.

"I don't cheat...I simplify the game by winning." Sonic sat across from him and put his arm on his, being careful to avoid his spikes.

"Ready cheater?" Knuckles said, grinning.

"Sure." Sonic said.

They started, and even though Sonic had a good arm, enough to punch a Swatbot head clear off, he was no match for Knuckles, who could shatter stone.

Slowly Sonic arm began to give.

But Sonic kicked Knuckles foot to get an advantage, and pinned his arm down.

"Ah! Like I said, you cheat!" Knuckles yelled, then rubbed his ankle.

"Oops, leg spasm!"

"Right...just like the one you had last time."

"Crap happens, Knucks." Sonic shrugged.

"Whatever, your gonna miss the race." Knuckles motioned over to Shadow, who was waiting next to the start line.

Sonic couldn't help but smile.

Knuckles was the same as ever; his kind always seemed never to change even though the area and people does.

Sonic went over to the racing start line.

"Hey, we actually have the races this year! Thanks guys! How long is it this time?"

"About sixty miles...I thought it would be long enough for you guys. Is it?" Rotor made the rhetorical question almost sound serious.

"Oh yeah that's enough. Is it straight shot or does it have some hazards in it?" Sonic looked over at Shadow.

"It doesn't have any obstacles...I've checked." Shadow was looking down.

He didn't seem heartless anymore. He actually looked truthfully...sad, like there was some sort of death in the family.

That would be, if he had a family.

The two hedgehogs got to their starting marks.

"Three...Two...One! Go!"Tails yelled as he sat down.

They raced almost for and hour, going slower than normal.

"What's ailing you, Shadow?" Sonic sped up next to him.

"Why do you care?" Shadow seemed unlikely to give Sonic the time of day.

But Sonic had to try.

"Shadow, I've noticed you acting different, a bit more solemn."

"That makes one of us."

Sonic sighed.

"Just tell me...I might know something. I could help you."

Shadow hesitated, but he spoke.

"The day Ivo Robotnik died, that was the day he replaced me, and although I no longer have any ties with that man, I was curious as to what he created to subdue me." Shadow let it all out at once.

"I saw blue prints, Sonic. He was going to create something to destroy me...and if you hadn't defeated him..."

"Wait- your saying he could actually kill you? Shadow! Even if he was still alive, I doubt he could accomplish that much." Sonic retorted, despite the great amount of information he was shoved with.

"He created me, Sonic. He knows every fiber if my being, every potential weakness or flaw is evident to him. Killing me would be an easy task for him. If you didn't kill him then I, in theory, would be dead. I would like to thank you." His crimson eyes met Sonic's for a moment, that glance was a true sense of trust.

"Wow, Shadow...I honestly don't know what to say."

"I would thank you, but I am too busy finishing the race." Shadow bursted ahead, leaving Sonic to cough in the dust.

"Cheaters never win!" Knuckles yelled from the finish line.

"You laaaate!" Tails jeered once Sonic was close enough for him to hear.

Sonic had to hand it to them, they were getting better at the comebacks.

After a full day of events (racing, ring tosses, hurdle dashes, shot put, and a hot dog eating contest that Sonic actually won but regretted doing so.) everyone finally went home.

"I am never going to eat another hot dog again..." Sonic grinned over at Sally who was walking beside him.

"Eighty-seven is an impressive number...and it's a number your probably gonna feel in the morning." Sally hooked her arm in his, and leaned closer.

"Not worth it..."Sonic came up to Sally's house, and stopped at the door.

"I thought it was funny." She ran her slender fingers absently across his chest.

"Still not worth it."

"How about now?"

Sally rose and kissed him. Sonic leaned in to her embrace, brushing her hair betwixt his gloved fingers.

They released...reluctantly.

"I think it's worth it now." He said as she let him go to open the door to her home.

"See you tomorrow?" Sally said leaving the door a crack open just enough for Sonic to see her face.

"Of course. Hey..." Sonic put his hand on the door, pulling it open a bit.

"I love you, Sal." He said, letting the door go.

"Love you too, Sonic. Sleep well, that's an order." Sally tried to sound authoritive.

But it was hard to pull off when her heart was pounding as fast as his legs could run.

"Yes ma'm!" Sonic did a fake salute and sped off waving back.

"Those were the days...not really good days, but memories nevertheless." Sally said to the night sky as she slowly closed the door.

Sonic lied down on top of his bed, staring at ceiling.

"Gale..."

Her image appeared in his head. Her huge cat ears, her sleek purple eyes and small nose. Her smooth cat tail dragged on the floor. Her wings, they never would ever look natural.

But she was the weapon all right.

The weapon designed to destroy Shadow.

Sonic began to drift off.

"What a day..." He thought.

He fell asleep thinking of two things.

Gale was the ultimate weapon to kill the ultimate life form.

And Sally was the ultimate girl for the...perhaps ultimate hero.


	3. Memories

_**Sonic: The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Memories**_

Sonic woke that morning to the sound of a machine whirring.  
"Mhh...Tails shut it off..." He mumbled, waving his hand from the top bunk.  
"Tails...!" He called again, a bit more clearly.  
"Tails!" He yelled, irritated.  
He threw a pillow at the direction of the sound.

"Wha?! Ah, no the machine!" Tails took the pillow off the machine he was tinkering on the night earlier, but had ended up falling asleep over. Sonic heard it shut off.  
He lifted his head to see that it was almost seven in the morning.  
"I guess we should get up anyway." Sonic said as he stumbled to his feet.  
"Speak for yourself..." Tails mumbled as he walked staggeringly to his bunk that was below Sonic's.  
"How late were you up last night?" Sonic asked, chuckling a little.  
"Uh...about three A.M..." Tails climbed the ladder to his bunk,"I think.." And was out in seconds.  
Sonic strapped his shoes on, somewhat enjoying the quietness of the morning. It's not common.  
He walked out of the house, and took a deep breath.

Then he ran, he felt his speed pass sixty miles per hour in seconds.  
He hit eighty...ninety...one hundred.  
He speeded out to an open field, and felt the familiar wind in his face. He opened his eyes fully and stopped.

The sunrise, he always woke in time to see it.  
It's light reflected against the trees, making them appear to retain a different color. The grass reached Sonic's knees, it was one of the few places that had not been touched by the battle for peace.  
It was also one of the few places he had memories of his parents in.  
He slipped into a daydream.

"Sonic, hurry! Come see before they go away!" He heard his mother say.  
Sonic zipped over to where his mother was. His dad was next to her, smiling fondly.  
His mom's quills draped over her shoulders, like locks of hair. His father was also a shade of blue, but much darker.  
Sonic looked to see hundreds of Flickys sleeping in a nearby tree. They all stood there motionless, in the land of dreams.  
"They are all sleeping. You should see when they wake up. They all fly away at once and..." His father began to say.  
But the young hedgehog needed no more explanation, but ran straight towards the large tree.  
"Wake up, Flickys! Wake up, wake up, wake up!" Sonic's small voice screamed; he must have only been six or so.  
Instantly the Flickys startled awake and flew upwards.  
Sonic yelled triumphantly.  
"I did it! I did it! I made them fly, mom!" Sonic ran over to his mother, who picked up the small hedgehog and held him in her arms.  
"You did. They were mighty scared of you." She said gently.  
"They...were scared of me, mom?" Sonic said, with a frown.  
"Well yes, your bigger than them. People are always scared of bigger things. They run away." She said, hugging him.  
"Like...like the other people at the playground, mom? They are bigger than me...they don't like me, mom." Sonic looked expectantly in his mothers eyes.  
"Am I gonna be smaller than them forever, momma?" His ears drooped a bit.  
His mom hugged him tighter.  
"Oh no no no..." She hushed him, sitting in the grass.  
"Don't be sad, momma." The young voice said, hugging her neck. "They don't scare me that bad anymore...  
...I'm not afraid of them."

His father bent down.  
"That's good, Sonic. Just because they are bigger doesn't mean that you need to be afraid. Even if they can do more than you can, never be afraid." He said as he took the little one out of his mothers arms.  
"I just said that!" Sonic said after a couple moments of silence.  
They all laughed.  
No one said he was quick with his thoughts.

Sonic then realized that the sunrise was gone. He ripped himself out of the memory.  
Everyday he missed them. Things like that would never change.  
Even if there was freedom.  
Sonic closed his eyes, partially out of sadness, the other out of the early morning fatigue.

He started to walk back, he had plenty of time before the games would start again,  
Suddenly, he felt his foot hit some type of metal object.  
He looked down, it was a disk. Some sort of computer disk, meant to be watched, he guessed. It was hot to the touch.  
"Hmm, no one ever comes out here but me." He idly thought to himself as he put it in his small backpack.

Time to go back to a celebrating world.  
Even if his mind was still trapped in his memories.


	4. Puzzle Pieces

_**Sonic: The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Puzzle Pieces **_

**Sonic **finally arrived at the game grounds again, but he saw an unexpected scene.

"We need help, now!" Tails came running, he had obviously brushed off his fatigue.

"What's happened here?" Sonic looked over Tails' shoulder to see people surrounding something.

"I'll show you..." Tails grabbed his hand and led him to a small crater everyone was surrounding.

Sonic stared down to see a familiar face.

"Gale..?!" The words slipped his mouth before he had time to think.

"You know this lady?" Knuckles butted in, but Sonic already leaped down into the crater.

"Gale? Gale, can you hear me?" Sonic looked to see she was badly beaten, her wings were in tatters.

He picked her up, she let out a small moan and stirred.

"Hey, you didn't answer my question." Knuckles jumped down.

"Hush...I think she's waking up." Sonic looked intently.

She tried to open her eyes, but seconds later she was limp in his arms.

"She needs treatment, now." Sonic grabbed Tail's hand to help him out of the crater, with Gale on his shoulders.

"How did she get there, anyway?" Sonic asked.

"She was...flying, then she just suddenly crashed, like something triggered her to." Knuckles was still grasping the fact that he had just seen a mix between a cat and a bird.

Sonic paused for a moment.

"How can she still be alive? She was in critical condition back when we were underground...now five years later she just...appears?" Sonic silently said to himself.

He sprinted towards the treatment center.

He was met by Dr. Quack and some assistants of his.

"She...crashed, you say?" The doctor asked while examining her, and treating her wounds.

"That's what I keep hearing. How's she gonna end up?" Sonic asked once he appeared to be finished.

"Surprisingly, she has no broken bones or nerve damage. Just a couple deep cuts, and a minor concussion. It wouldn't surprise me if she woke up in an hour or less." The doctor seemed appalled by her durability.

Sonic was just as shocked; he had taken terrible falls, and had to deal with a cast or two afterwards.

"You don't mind me staying...to see her wake up?" Sonic felt a bit embarrassed. It was an odd question.

"There is no rule against doing so...you know her, I assume?" Dr. Quack was beginning to pry a bit.

"We met the day I defeated Ivo. Now she's just suddenly here. Makes me wonder where she's been all this time." Sonic supposed he had to tell someone eventually. He wasn't good at keeping secrets.

The doctor paused for a moment, looking at Gale on the stretcher.

"This might explain Shadow's...nervousness, if its related to Ivo at all." He said slowly after the small pause.

"What do you mean?" Sonic never had known Shadow to be cautious, let alone nervous.

"He's been coming in almost every month since Ivo's death, asking for tests. He wanted me to test his limits somehow...I did my best, but you know how unpredictable Chaos energy is." The doctor stopped suddenly, realizing what he was saying.

"I'm sorry, I can't say more. It is not my place to be rattling off medical records..." He pushed Gale's stretcher into a recovery room, which was practically dormant.

"Stay as long as you desire, just leave the room the way you found it." The doctor left with a sigh.

Sonic didn't mean to probe into Shadow's business, but he figured he would have found out eventually.

Gale began to stir, Sonic knelt next to the stretcher.

She opened her eyes, and looked at her bandages.

Sonic looked at her large wings; they looked very powerful, unlike the scrawny wings she used to have.

She immediately sat up, like she just remembered something.

"Hey, give yourself time to..." But Sonic noticed the shocked look on her face.

"I remember you...did..did you bring me here?" Gale's voice was soothingly feminine.

"I brought you here, but I'm not good with medicine, really. Not my passion." Sonic cracked a smile, hoping to alleviate her confusion.

"I'm sorry...but I have to go and..." She jumped down from the stretcher, but wobbled a bit.

"Hey!" Sonic caught her.

"You don't need to be going anywhere. Give yourself time to recover." Sonic eased her to a bed nearby.

Gale glared at him, and for an instant, Sonic felt dizzy.

"Humph. Like you ever let yourself recover fully in the past." She smiled, noting Sonic's surprise.

"What? How do you know...?" Sonic's dizziness instantly subsided.

"It's a gift the doctor gave me...along with others. Other than the wings." She said this calmly, like she had quoted it before.

"I can learn all information about a person by looking at them. It is odd indeed, but useful." Gale was rambling, but to Sonic, it was new news.

"How did you escape that cave a couple years back? You were exhausted when I saved you." Sonic bluntly asked, he was sick of questions without answers.

"There was an exit above us, the ground was weak there, I bashed right through." She smiled at Sonic. "You went the hard way."

Sonic stepped back and looked down. He couldn't believe she was alive.

But where was she this whole time?

"Ever since that day, I've been searching for Ivo. It hasn't been successful." She got down off of the table again, she seemed more stable now.

"I think it would be best if I just showed you everything. It's quite a story."

Sonic hesitated at first, but decided that he wanted answers more than the security of trust.

He took her hand, and the world went black.


	5. The Weapon

**_Sonic: The Last Standing_**

_**Chapter 5**_

_**The Weapon**_

**Sonic** awoke in a gray village that he had never seen before. Gale stood beside him, still holding his hand gently. She was the only thing that contained color. Her eyes were a striking mix of purple and light blue now that she was older, as was her halter top. Her black pants widened at the bottom, and had two light blue stripes running down the sides. Her tail and wings extended out behind her.

"You are looking at my old home. Since you are only seeing a memory of mine, you will not be able to interact with any of the people or things here." She explained, closing her eyes, "Oh, and sorry about the lack of color. My telekinetic power is simply not strong enough to maintain specifics such as that." She grinned. Sonic held out his free hand. He still had normal color to him, although Gale and him both looked blurry, like a dream.

Suddenly Sonic heard a wail from one of the cottages nearby. He took a step.

"Don't." Gale gripped his hand tighter. Sonic looked at her questionably. She added. "Don't wander in my visions. You could end up with headaches for a week."

The cottage door slammed open. A Swatbot trudged out, carrying a little cat girl. Her claws were not yet developed, yet she pawed at the robots arms unendingly, yelling and kicking her small legs.

"That...that's you...isn't it?" Sonic said.

Gale simply closed her eyes and nodded.

The tormented wail did not come from young Gale, however. It came from a much older feline individual. Sonic knew immediately that this was Gale's mother. She clung to the robots torso, wailing, begging, digging her claws into the metal.

"Not my baby! Please! Nightingale, no!" She sobbed, clawing fiercely, but not slowing the robot down at all.

"Your real name was Nightingale." Sonic breathed.

"Yes..." Gale managed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I remember I sang to my mother at night...trying my hardest to be one." Gale let out a bitter chuckle, "But only ended up as a crude imitation! She...still loved me though." Gale closed her eyes, trapping the tears, not letting them fall.

"Mommy! Mommy?!" Young Gale shrieked as the robot clenched her tighter, then reeled back its hand and smacked Gale's mother across the face.

Sonic's fists clenched tight.

He couldn't see this anymore.

I ran towards the robot, wrenching away from Gale's grip.

He punched the robot, expecting its head to burst in his hands, but the image faded in his minds eye. He saw Gale clutch her head and fall to her knees, trying desperately to maintain the visual.

Then black.

"Sonic...Sonic?" Gale's voice said.

Sonic didn't want to move. His head hurt. The floor was cold.

"Sonic!" Gale demanded his attention, his eyes shot open.

"What happened?" He asked as he stood. His head pounded.

"I told you not to wander in my visions Sonic...There was more I wanted you to see first!" Gale sighed as she shook her head, "I'm sorry, but you might have a good headache for the remainder of the day." She gave a reproachful glare.

"Sorry..." Sonic shrugged, "My instincts kicked in, I guess." He said.

"Really? After five years, you still have the phobia of other's hurt?" Gale thoughtfully said.

"Phobia? I only have one phobia, really, and it isn't people getting hurt." Sonic scratched the back of his head nervously. His fear of water was always prominent in his life, no matter if it was a three foot pool, or an ocean, it made chills run down his spine.

"Don't be alarmed. Most heroic people have that sort of phobia. Seeing other's get hurt is a worry to them, so they deal with it. If they can." She explained. Sonic shook his head. This reminded him of Shadow, always speaking as if he was quoting a riddle...

Suddenly, as if on cue, Shadow came into the room.

Many things happened at once. Shadow's eyes widened and darted from Gale to Sonic. Gale placed a hand to her temple and winced.

Doctor Quack walked in the room, but seeing the situation, immediately turned on his heel and left.

"You're the-!" Shadow found his voice.

"No...no..." Gale whispered.

"Shadow, what are you doing here?" Sonic questioned, but then fell silent.

Gale, without warning, gripped Sonic's shoulders like a vice, and looked into his eyes with desperation.

"Sonic...I mean nothing by this, okay? Nothing! I just can't...refuse the..." She groaned in frustration, maintained her composure, then continued, "I must do as I am commanded. I am sorry." She finished.

Sonic had no time to respond when Shadow butted in.

"You are from the blueprints!" Shadow accused, "It wasn't a weapon at all! It was another life form!" He said. Gale let go of Sonic's shoulders, and stared Shadow straight in the eye.

"Shadow the Hedgehog. Created by Dr. Ivo Robotnick after his previous attempts to re-creacte Sonic failed, fifty years ago. Capable of Chaos Energy attacks, teleportation, time phasing, and immortality. Interesting isn't it?" Gale stared into his eyes with a smirk. Shadow shook away the dizziness. Sonic realized this was the very same thing that she did to him before their visit to the past.

"Thank you for the review, but it is unnecessary!" Shadow snapped, his anger hot, "I know exactly what I am capable of, but do you?" Shadow gave a cynical grin. "Has he given you the luxury of knowing your own powers? Or has he left you in the cold, dark, day of ignorance? Riddle me that, Weapon!" He demanded. Gale simply closed her eyes and shook her head.

"If you want to know my powers, then why don't you just find out for yourself...? Or are you afraid that I will overpower you, just as the Doctor intended?" A shrill, crisp clang of metal resonated throughout the room. Gale's claws were out, and seemed to pierce one just by looking at them.

Shadow snapped like an autumn branch. He immediately charged towards Gale, imbued in Chaos Energy.

Sonic snapped out of his shock and awe. He began to shout for them to stop, but the crash of the wall bursting through was too great.

Sonic coughed in the dust. Once it finally cleared, the two were gone without a trace.


	6. Clash of the Wills

_**Sonic: The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 6**_

_**Clash of the Wills**_

_**"Talk **_how you'd like, but that will not matter once I am done with you! Sooner or later!" Shadow barked, now the both of them getting farther and farther away from Knotnhole.

"When you are done? It will be sooner. Trust me." Gale flew above him. Her wings pulsed in pain unendingly. She couldn't stop, however. Her ability to fly was the only advantage against the hedgehog.

Otherwise, they were very closely matched.

Shadow's hand became enveloped in a yellow aura. The aura intensified as he threw it towards Gale.

Gale waved her hand in front of her, creating a bright blue aura around her. The yellow bolt struck, but only dissipated.

"Surprised? I hope not. The doctor gave me many abilities...including almost total immunity to Chaos Energy." Gale flapped her wings again, lifting herself higher.

"You sound proud of him. Proud of a monster that thinks he can bend and change life at-" Shadow began.

"I do not admire him!" Gale shrieked, "I despise him with every fiber of my being! You think that he created me as he did you?!" Gale growled as she landed. Her eyes flared blue intensely. "He took me from my home, and nearly killed all of my family! He forced wings and powers upon me, infused memories of battle tactics into my mind, and kept me locked away underground like a dusty relic for most of my life!" Gale took steps closer, her eyes becoming more murderous every second.

"I did not understand-" Shadow stammered.

"Of course you didn't! You wouldn't! No one does, and no one ever will!" She yelled in his face. Gale placed both hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. Shadow felt his back arch in recoil. He heard himself scream, but it did not sound human, but like an animal. Everywhere he looked...he saw purple, crackling electricity.

Suddenly, Gale pressed her hand to her temple and let out a ear splitting shriek. Her knees bucked from under her. Shadow fell to the ground immediately.

He managed to keep her head from hitting the ground.

"I am not his..." Gale tersely whispered.

"I misjudged you..." Shadow breathed. He held her head up.

Gale shut her eyes tight and gripped her head again.

"I can't take this anymore!" She shouted angrily as she stood. Shadow looked up at her with shocked eyes.

"I have to do this!" She told him, her eyes desperate, "I'm sorry...I really am, but you are not leaving this spot until the job is completed." Gale placed her palm out.

Before Shadow could even rise to his feet, a dark purple, dome like force field encased him in the spot. He could only stand up, and move maybe one foot forward, but other than that, he was trapped.

Shadow pressed his palms against the dome wall.

"How could you?! I helped you! I was willing to help you! If you release me, then I could help you overthrow his reign on you! You would not have to be his servant anymore!" Shadow shouted, his voice barely audible to anything outside the dome. Shadow winced as he glanced at the bruises that covered him. His skin was not pierced, but ached all over.

"Oh Shadow...by now, you must know that there is no resisting anymore." Gale said, her eyes sad. "He...he's in my head. I can't resist him when he is constantly in my thoughts...forcing any escape plan out of my memory." Gale swept back a tuff of hair on her temple to reveal a small bump on her temple, the size of a pill capsule.

"He...can take away thoughts from you...that is why you always obey him." Shadow managed.

Gale nodded, then sat down next to the barrier.

"What are you doing...?" Shadow looked out to the horizon, where Knotnhole lay below.

"Waiting." Gale's sadness was evident in her voice.

"For what?" Shadow pressed his hands against the wall again. Firm. Firmer that stone.

"You will see." Gale bit her lip as tears flowed down her cheeks.


	7. The Warning

**Sonic: The Last Standing**

**Chapter 7**

**The Warning**

**_Sonic_**had just began walking towards the opening in the wall, when Doctor Quack opened the door defensively_._

"Are they done-MY WORD!" Quack exclaimed as he gaped at the almost completely destroyed wall.

"I guess leaving this place the way I found it isn't going to happen." Sonic sighed.

"What exactly happened between those two? I knew my place was to leave, but I didn't know they were going to leave a hole in my recovery room!" The doctor said as he walked to the opening, running his feathered hand across the jagged surface.

"I'm not sure." Sonic shrugged. In the past, when he was a teenager, perhaps he would make a joke about this. But this was property damage, and a huge bill wasn't something to joke about. Sonic learned over his five years of freedom, to hold his tongue at times.

"Well...I came here to tell you that Tails and Sally have requested you to meet Tails at home. Something about what they found in your bag." Doctor Quack absently said as he looked at the broken wall, calculating in his mind the cost of fixing it.

"Okay. I'll go meet up with them. Hey Quack?" Sonic walked to the door.

"Yes?" Quack turned to him.

"Sorry about your wall." Sonic said.

"Oh, it is fine. It is lucky that no one but you guys were here. I will probably get Cream, Clover, and Knuckles to help fix it. Cream and Clover have become quite the helpers...and can lift a good amount too." The doctor grinned at the statement. Clover was Cream's adopted little dog brother. His ears were about as long as hers, that sagged down. He always seemed to be wearing a green shirt, that complemented his dark brown fur.

Sonic grinned back. Cream had just celebrated her eleventh birthday weeks ago, but looked so much older after five years. She had become obsessed with voluntary work, along with her little brother, who unfortunately became completely deaf at a young age. However, Cream helped him through it, and he helped her with the work she loved as best he could.

Sonic ran out of the hospital. It was now midday, Sonic's favorite time to run. He decided to take the long way, still running at a stunning speed. Despite Sonic's "break" from needing to be fast all the time, Sonic still went on runs, sometimes to other countries.

"I might just take a trip to Spatagonia once the Games end..." Sonic said to himself as his legs pumped to the point where his movement became blurry.

He closed his eyes and let the warm wind caress his face, and run through his quills behind him. Not many people understood why he loved running like this, for hours. He tried showing Tails, urging him to relax while on his shoulders, but Tails was too frightened by the speed to care about the comfort.

Sonic slowed down to a stop in front of the home he shared with Tails. It used to be so small and quaint, but then was expanded to suit the needs of Tails and his machines. He walked in.

At first, Sonic thought that no one was there. He walked across the bedroom and into the living room. There Tails and Sally sat, talking very quietly to each other.

"Who died?" Sonic said with a smirk. The two smiled, that was a phrase Sonic used to use when grim news was about, but he didn't know of it.

"What the heck took you so long?" Tails rolled his eyes.

"See? He becomes an official teenager, and he thinks he can get all up in your business!" Sally commented. Tails blushed out of embarrassment.

"I was just wondering..." Tails sheepishly said.

"I was talking to Doctor Quack, then I took the long way home. Sorry, is this urgent?" Sonic asked.

"Not urgent...just alarming, really. We found this disk in your bag." Sally held it up. "We watched it, but we really couldn't believe what we saw." She strode over to the DVD player and popped it in. The TV crackled to life.

A shadow of a very scrawny individual, sitting at a desk appeared. The only color in the video was the dark, rusted brown background.

"If you are watching this, then congratulations on a job well done." The menacing voice said.

Sonic knew this voice.

"You found the disk, and have played it in your DVD player, thus giving me your location. That was step one."

Tails, even though he was thirteen now, and even though he watched this at least three times, looked truly afraid of the mystery man's ominous tone.

"Your heroic deeds failed you horribly. By my order, I purposely commanded my creation to crash...you just had to help didn't you? You did. That was step two."

Sally's facial expression was unreadable. It reminded Sonic of the days they had to spend underground, hiding from the bombs. Trapped, wondering if they would die there.

"My creation has lured the one thing that can make my plan fail, away. Far away, and has trapped him. He can't help you now. That was step three."

Sonic stood there motionless, the TV being the only noise besides his own breathing, and his heart pounding.

"I know this voice...I know it from somewhere..." He thought.

"And now...a riddle for you, since you have so studiously carried out my wishes." The man said, and seemed to lean back, in satisfaction.

Everyone held their breath.

"A trap for the trapped.

A paralyzing scream.

A life kidnapped.

A loss of a dream.

Find your speed.

And find your light.

Decode this creed.

Try as you might.

You won't save all.

From either plight."

The poem riddle hung in the air as the man turned a dusty lamp on next to him.

Before the image crackled away, one last fact brought by the lamp's light shot terror into Sonic's heart.

Robotnick was alive.


	8. Separation

_**Sonic: The Last Standing**_

_** Chapter 8**_

_**Separation**_

The TV blared a high pitched tone, making Sonic jolt, then shut off.

Silence.

"I've tried dating it, tracking it, anything, but it's coded so precisely...I doubt I would be able to do it in my life time." Tails finally said, running a hand through his scruffy hair.

"I have been working on that riddle." Sally said, "I've come up with a couple of leads, but they have gone cold on me." Sally finished.

"There is one thing certain though..." Sonic finally found his voice, his hands clenched, "He is still alive. Barely. But still alive, and about to attack." Sonic's eyes became tired. He didn't want to start the fight all over again. He didn't want to go back to the days of hiding, planning, building, watching friends die. He just wanted freedom, and he had it.

"Sonic, he is in no condition to be making any sort of attack on us..." Sally said as she placed her arms around him.

"Quit telling me what I want to hear, Sal'. I know a threat when I see it." Sonic said.

Sally fell silent. She too, did not want their peace, what made her and Sonic's relationship thrive even more, to be taken away. Fabricating that it was not happening, was her way of coping.

"I'm going to go tell our outer guard." Sonic released himself from Sally's embrace. "Tails, go get some of your defense systems ready, I know you've wanted to try them out." Sonic said with a wink.

"Right away!" Tails said with some of the childish glee he once had when he was eight, but didn't maintain the act due to the fact that his voice was lower since then. He left the room.

"Sally...I want you to tell the original Freedom Fighters what's happened. Give them the disk. After ten minuets, I want you back here, locking yourself in-" Sonic began, but was cut off.

"I'll do that, but I'm not locking myself anywhere." She said as she took her jewelry off and laid it gently on the table.

Slowly...the princess was already fading away, and Sally Acorn, the rebel, was coming out.

"Sally, I don't want you to get hurt." Sonic said urgently, pressing his hands on her shoulders, "I need you to stay here." He looked down to her, being slightly taller than her.

"Don't act so condescending to me like that!" She smirked.

"I'm serious Sally! I will lock you in here!" Sonic said, walking out.

"And I will pick the lock. Sonic, face it, you can't control me." She said.

Sonic rolled his eyes. Sally walked to him, placing her arms around his shoulders.

"Sal'...you need to be careful." He gazed into her eyes, "Please." He begged.

"Sonic, I will be just fine, it's you who needs to be careful..." She said as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

Sonic closed his eyes and ran his hands down her back. Sally ran her fingers along his quills, careful not to let the points prick her fingers. They stayed, until each of them needed air.

"I don't want you to get hurt..." She whispered.

"Ditto." Sonic let out, then kissed her again, picking her up off her feet.

Sally opened her eyes in surprise, but then closed them again in the moment.

Finally, Sonic out huge sigh. He felt like he was going back in time. Back to the days where Sally and he kissed like it was the end of the world. The days where they each treated it like it was their last, breaking with tears of their own with each separation.

Sonic placed Sally on her feet, and ran out the door. It felt odd, running at his urgent speed, but not a single thing amiss.

Sonic sped to the outer guard, a guard base outside the city. He told them quickly of the situation, insuring that he was not joking.

After that, he raced off to Acorn Castle. Going through the pathway he rehearsed, the pathway he could very well navigate blind, he raced down to a hidden door, and pushed it open.

Inside, on small pedestals, where the Seven Chaos Emeralds. He kept them in such a secret place, to prevent then from falling into the wrong hands, if there was any left. He opened his satchel and gently placed them inside.

"The seven servers are the Chaos...the Chaos is power, and power is enriched by the heart. The user is one who unifies the Chaos." Sonic said reverently to himself, the best he remembered.

He turned to leave, but noticed something in his satchel that had not been there before.

"Earplugs?" Sonic whispered to himself. There was a note next to them.

"Put these in. It's just a theory, so I didn't want to freak everyone out with it. The part where the riddle mentioned a paralyzing scream couldn't shake out of my memory, so just put these in, just in case. I have some too.

I love you,

Sally."

Sally began to walk back to Tails house, placing her earplugs in. She could hear absolutely nothing with them in.

"This has to be the most idiotic assumption I've ever made. No, that paralyzing scream had to be something symbolic...or...oh forget it." Sally thought to herself, frustrated.

She didn't realize that Bunnie had walked up next to her, and began to say something. Sally blushed out of embarrassment, and began to pull the earplugs out.

"This was such a stupid hypothesis..." Sally thought to herself.

Suddenly, Bunnie clutched her head and screamed. Sally stopped her fingers from pulling the ear plugs out, but shoved them back in. She bent down to Bunnie, trying to speak to her, but unable to due to the fact that she couldn't hear her own voice. Bunnie's mouth was still open in a scream, as she fell to her knees, her eyes shut tight. Sally clutched her arm, screaming her name.

Finally, Bunnie's eyes rolled back. Sally brought her hands to her lips just as Bunnie fell flat on her face.


	9. A Paralyzing Scream

_**Sonic: The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 9**_

_**A Paralyzing Scream**_

_**Tails**_ had prepared about three mechs when the idea struck him. He walked over to his stainless steel lap table. He, before the war ended, had created a highly flammable, yet extremely potent fuel system that almost equaled the energy he was able to use with the Chaos Emeralds. The war ended so suddenly however, that he abandoned the project.

He gazed upon the vial. It had a brown-ish liquid inside. He knew there was something he had forgotten about it...it had been five years.

But he couldn't shake that it was something important. He picked up the vial.

"Maybe if I become familiar with it, I will remember." Tails said to himself.

He began testing it in certain small machines, but nothing came to him.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. He ran over to one of his main mech suits, the Tornado X, and opened the fuel capsule.

"If I use the Tornado X with this potent fuel, Robotnick surly will be in for a surprise!" He poured the fuel in, then shut the capsule. Just to be safe, Tails closed the door to his lab and locked it. He would hate to ruin his home just because of a test.

He turned the machine on, and at first, it was running smoothly. But then, harsh smoke began to pour out of the machine from all sides.

Tails was about to turn it off, when a shrill, bone vibrating scream met his ears.

He screamed as he tried to cover his ears. Even with his ears covered, the sound still made him nauseated, he fell to the ground.

"Sonic!" He screamed, "He's attacking! He's-" But then he was cut off by a coughing fit. He looked up.

"The smoke...!" Tails choked out. He removed his hand from his ear to turn it off, but the high pitched tone made his ears bleed.

He coughed and felt his arms give away. Black played on the edges of his vision, and he didn't know whether it was unconscious, or the thick smoke swirling around him.

Whatever it was...it made his vision go black.

Sonic plugged his earplugs in. He trusted Sally, and her wit. She tended to have a good hunch for most things one would never see. He looked back on the quiet room, with seven now empty petestals. It was so quiet here, secluded. He knew that this could very well be a storm shelter, given how durable it was.

He raced outside, careful to keep a vigilant eye, since he was practically deaf with the earplugs in. He made it to the city.

He saw Sally knelt next to Bunnie on the ground. Fear stabbed his heart. Was she hurt? Had the attack already begun?

"Sonic!" He saw Sally mouth, but couldn't hear her voice at all. She continued to speak, but Sonic couldn't make it out.

He reached to take his earplugs out, but Sally gripped his hand tight. She shook her head violently.

He began to say something, but as of now, it was useless to argue. It would be like arguing to a wall.

Suddenly, Sonic felt the ground shudder. He looked behind him, at the entrance of the city.

There, about a dozen of super sized robots stood. They were much bigger than Swatbots ever were. Their hands were replaced with scythes, and their shoulders, with guns. They were not painted, but had a sick metal, rusted color to them.

"I'm getting the others!" Sonic shouting, being sure to over-annunciate so that Sally could read his lips. She shook her head again. He carefully tried to read her lips.

"They are this way too."

Sonic's jaw dropped. The memory struck him hard.

'A paralyzing scream.'

So Sally cracked part of the riddle. Whoever heard whatever this scream was, was knocked unconscious.

That means that Sally and Sonic were the only ones awake to fight.

Clover enjoyed helping Cream and Knuckles with the wall. It was nice to get out of the house for a while, it had been so cold the days earlier, he had almost gone stir crazy being in the house for so long.

The wall was nearly finished. Clover helped lift one of the main pieces into the fit. Once there, Doctor Quack used plaster to firm the part into place. It looked crude now, but Clover offered to paint it tomorrow.

Sometimes, Clover wished he could speak. But because of his deafness, he could never tell if he was too high pitched or low pitched, or too loud or soft. Talking was too complicated for him.

Clover was currently learning sign language, but hasn't gotten it quite down pat. He was only eight years old after all. If he couldn't remember a sign, he would write his sentence down on a notebook, which he always carried.

She looked so much different than the perky young rabbit she used to be. Her orange dress was no more, but replaced with a blue top, white sports skirt and a white scarf, usually. Clover usually stuck with his green shirt and jeans.

"We're done! Do you want to go home now? It's almost dinner time." Cream signed.

"I am so hungry! Yes, let's go." Clover signed. He was proud of remembering all his signs well enough to get his sentences across.

Suddenly, Cream gripped Clover's hand like a vise. She fell down, but Clover steadied her.

"What's wrong?! Cream?!" Clover signed. Cream didn't respond, but fell down, clutching her head.

He looked to see that Knuckles was screaming too. Doctor Quack was leaning heavily on the wall, his fist full of his own feathers.

"Cream! Cream!" Clover screamed. "What's going on, Cream?!" Clover let out, shaking Cream violently.

Cream's eyes rolled back.

And that's when Clover saw a robot burst through the door.


	10. The Fleet

_**Sonic:The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 10**_

_**The Fleet**_

**_Sonic_** motioned for Sally to get behind him, but Sally shook her head and bolted for her house.  
"Sally!" Sonic yelled, exasperated. Sonic shook his head as he charged at the twelve robots that had begun entering houses, spraying gunfire, and hewing down anything in front of them.  
He charged toward the first one. Sonic saw the buzz saw for the robots hand come, and quickly dodged it. This robot was far different from Swatbots. Instead of relying on range with gunfire alone, this bot would do frontal attacks without defending itself, causing in front attacks made by Sonic, harder to achieve. Sonic dodged the buzz saw endlessly, inching closer and closer to the ever attacking robot. Finally, after a sidestep from one of the shoulder guns, Sonic leaped on to the robots head, and twisted with a satisfying crunch of metal.  
The robot head fell to the ground.

Shadow's bruises were not ordinary at all. Instead of just staying there, and only dully throbbing, they grew in size, and ached like broken bones. He pressed his hand against the wall again. Still firm. Gale sat next to him, on the other side, small tears flowing down her cheeks.  
"I could help you, you know." Shadow said, still looking in the distance.  
Gale said nothing.  
"I know the doctor. I know how he controls...how he influences, I could help you get that microchip out of you. Only let me take you to a place that can help you." Shadow continued.  
Gale looked at him. But only that. Her expression was unreadable.  
"Just let me help you. Let me out." Shadow walked over to the edge of the barrier, right next to Gale.  
"Please."  
Sounds of jets screaming filled the air. Shadow turned to see twelve black figures flying in the sky straight towards Knotenhole.  
"Let me out Gale...let me out!" Shadow screamed as the robots landed.  
"But the doctor will..." Gale whispered.  
"I don't care what the Doctor does!" Shadow yelled, then threw a bolt of Chaos Energy at the wall, "I have had enough of him! Whatever he tries to do to you, I will ensure that it will not happen." He pressed his fist against the wall, looking Gale straight into her eyes.  
"This chip controls me! Don't you understand?! I can't!" Gale yelled.  
"Then prove him this once! Prove it to him that you are not his weapon as I was!" Shadow demanded. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the gunshots continue.  
The forced field came down.  
Gale shrieked.  
"Shut up! Shut up! I don't care! Be quiet!" She screamed out. She must be speaking back to Robotnick who was talking to her through the microchip.  
Shadow reached out and caught Gale before she fell to the ground.  
"Hit me." Gale gasped.  
"What...?" Shadow breathed.  
"Knock me out...I won't be able to hear him if you do. Then you can...help me." She managed before she clutched her head again. A spark of electricity buzzed around her ear. She screeched again. Robotnick was shocking her now.  
"DO IT! Or I trap you again! Do it now!" She bellowed. Her back arched back in his arms.  
Shadow exhaled out of frustration, then brought his fist down on the back of her neck. The scream stopped short.  
"...Chaos Control." Shadow said to himself.  
And then the two were gone.

Sally ran through her house. She arrived to her room, then began rummaging through her droors frantically.  
"Where is it, where is it?" She threw out clothes, then began throwing out droors as a whole. Finally, she just shoved the entire piece of furniture out of the way.  
"Typical me. Shoving it behind it." Sally sighed to herself as she pulled out the remote and pressed the button.  
"Sonic? Sonic, can you hear me?" She said. Her earplugs were not just normal. She just turned them on.  
"Sal'? Are these things...?" She heard Sonic say.  
"Yes. Do you honestly think I'd give just ordinary earplugs?" Sally ran out of the house. Suddenly, she saw an explosion in the distance.  
"That was at the hospital! Sonic, I'm checking it out!" Sally said as she ran down alleyways to get there.  
"Sal', no! We need to find the source to whatever this paralyzing scream is!" Sonic insisted urgently.  
"It won't take long, I swear!" Sally barked as she turned another corner.  
"Sally!" Sonic yelled.  
Sally ignored the rest of Sonic's comments as she ran inside the burning hospital.

"Sally! Don't be an idiot! We have to finish off the robots and find out what's causing the-"  
But Sonic couldn't finish the sentence. He was knocked aside, into a brick wall. He stood to his feet shakily and ran towards the large robot.  
Sonic dove under the robot and took its legs out from under it. However, the robot anticipated this, and landed on Sonic, it's elbow first.  
Sonic saw stars as the wind was knocked out of him. These robots were defiantly smarter.  
The robot seized the opportunity to attack as it rolled over and placed a strong metal foot on Sonic's stomach, pinning him down. Sonic struggled to get free, but the robot was huge, it's foot almost completely covering Sonic. The robot pulled its non weaponized hand back and brought it down on Sonic's face. Sonic screamed at blood flowed from his nose. He mustered all his strength and kicked his legs forward. The robots leg faltered just long enough for Sonic to roll out of its control. The robot brought back its buzz saw immediately as took a swing at the hedgehog, only missing by a second.  
"What did Robotnick do to these things?! Give them a mind of their own?" Sonic thought as he jumped up, but the robot grabbed his foot and slammed him down on the ground. Hard.  
Sonic blacked out for a second, but then blinked and dodged gunfire. His ankle flared up in pain. It was bent in an odd angle. He gritted his teeth and snapped it out of dislocation.  
The robot did not pause it's attack however, but instead aimed the gun for Sonic's head.  
"That's it! Enough!" Sonic screamed as he rose to his feet, careful to stay off of his injured ankle.  
He pulled out the Chaos Emeralds as the ten robots surrounded him.

Sally ran room through room, but found nothing. Since the world was at peace before hand, not many people got injured anymore. The hospital was practically empty.  
That is, until she went to the recovery room. She tried to open the door, but it was locked.  
"Who locks a recovery room?" Sally said to herself.  
Sally took a step back and kicked the door down. A robot was attacking something...  
"Clover!" She screamed, but then remembered that he was deaf. And right now, so was she.  
Clover proved to be an adept fighter, even as much as Tails was when he was his age. He used his big feet and paws to deal punching blows, constantly raining down attacks. But he was no match for a robot that even Sonic could barely scale. And, due to his disability, he was always afraid of the opponent that he couldn't hear.  
Clover ducked a buzz saw attack. He tried pawing the robots wrist, but the robot merely grabbed Clover's paw with its non weaponized hand before the attack even connected.  
Clover cried out as the robot squeezed his paw. Sally ran in and jumped on the robot's shoulders, trying to mimic Sonic's head snapping attack, but the robot let go of Clover to buck her off.  
Sally fell hard on her back and screamed. Something had to be broken. She made no other thought of it as she kicked her legs at the robots feet, sending it tumbling down.  
Sally jumped up and reached for the exposed wires behind the robot's neck. She pulled.  
The robot shut down. Clover ran to Sally and enveloped her in a tear covered hug.  
Sally didn't bother saying anything, but just stroked his head.  
Suddenly, the screen for the robots face flickered.  
"Well done! Ah, Sally! My you have matured! You must be the one I have to thank!" The face of Robotnick appeared on the screen. Aged, his eyes strained with lack of sleep, his jawline to prominent due to too many days without food.  
"Robotnick!" Sally gasped. Clover gripped her shoulder tight.  
"It's obvious now isn't it? The riddle, dear!" Robotnick's voice croaked. Sally remained silent with Clover's head on her shoulder.  
"Nevermind that. You have done my work so well. You have defeated the last of my fleet! And in turn, have triggered the turrets! I suggest you hurry though...the paralyzing sounds have more of an effect on your friends than you think."  
The screen shut down.


	11. Seeking the Scream

_**Sonic:The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 11**_

_**Seeking the Scream**_

**_The_** emeralds floated around Sonic as they glowed. Sonic felt himself float as the fatigue and pain he felt went away. The Emeralds spun faster and faster until they were a blur.

The robots ignored this and took aim at Sonic.

A brilliant light enveloped Sonic from head to toe, so bright that most would have to shield their eyes.

What emerged from this blinding light, was the invincible Super Sonic. Sonic made no time for observation as he quickly bashed through the robot he was fighting earlier like paper.

"That's for my ankle, rust bucket." Sonic sneered as he dove for the second one. Gunfire bounced off of Sonic, but not one bullet pierced his skin. He dove for the robot's leg and picked it up. He swung the robot like a weapon at the others, bashing them to pieces with their own metal. Finally, he took the remains of the robot he used as a weapon and threw it out of sight.

Sonic floated above the remains of the robots. Their parts were everywhere.

He gently let himself lower to the ground. The Chaos Emeralds stopped floating and fell to the ground. Sonic was drained. His golden color faded to his normal, neon blue.

He fell to the ground harshly and groaned. Even though he had a moment of invincibility as Super Sonic, his ankle still hurt immensely. That, along with the energy draining properties of the Emeralds, made him ready to fall over.

"But I can't..." He said to himself, "I've got to get to the cause of the paralyzing sound...then maybe I can get some help here." Sonic said to no one as he thought how useful Knuckles or Shadow would be right now. He stood and managed to run to various places in the city. He had no idea where to look, and it wasn't like he could listen for it.

The town of Knothole was hauntingly dormant. No cars running, no footsteps filling the afternoon sounds. No children running around the playgrounds or the schools. The sky was an eerie shade of grey.

"Sally, are you there? Can you hear me okay?" Sonic said once he leaned on a wall of a building to examine his ankle. It was defiantly twisted or worse, Sonic couldn't tell. Even though he had seen many injuries over time, he was no doctor.

"I can hear you." Sally said. Her words were sharp. Halting. Something was wrong.

"Are you alright? What happened at the hospital?" Sonic asked quickly.

"I'm fine. Clover is awake, but everyone else here is unconscious. I've tried waking them up, but they only scream and pass out again." Sally said. "Are you okay...? All ten of those robots were on you." Sally asked.

"I'm alright." Sonic lied. His ankle was purple now, his forehead and nose were bleeding, and he was sporting a black eye from where the robot straight out punched his face. In Sonic's terms, he walked away lucky.

"Sonic, when I shut down the last robot...Robotnick appeared over the screen on it. He said that we need to shut the paralyzing tone down. If we don't...then it could have some sort of an effect on everyone." Sally said.

Sonic paused. So he was alive and well after all. There was something in the back of Sonic's head that begged for it all to be just some crazy coincidence. An attack program set before he died, or an attack from another person.

But that thought was gone now. It was all true. He was alive, and he had a plan.

But why on earth did he want his own machine to be shut down?

"Do you have any idea where it is?" Sonic asked as he walked toward the hospital.

"Robotnick said something about a turret. I think the only place that's large enough for a turret is the-" Sally began.

"The town square!" Sonic shouted as he rose to his feet.

He began to run, slower than usual of course, to the town square. As soon as he saw the tip of the massive turret, he felt bullet's wind whizz past his arms.

He rolled out of the way.

"Sally! It's not inactive! I almost took a bullet through the arm! Stay away! Do you hear me?" Sonic said, making sure that she heard him clearly. He ducked behind a statue.

"I hear you. But if that thing is targeting whatever tries to get near it, then two people going after it should shut it down." Sally ruled out.

"You're not getting near that thing!" Sonic ducked lower as bullets sprayed around him.

"You treat me like I've changed! I'm still the same Sally Acorn that saved your butt more times than you can count!" Sally said. Sonic then felt a tap on his shoulder.

Sally was behind him, and Clover was right next to her, with the same determined expression.

Sally's shirt and jacket were tattered. Her boots were scuffed. Clover had smoke and oil stains on his fur, which was matted with dirt.

"He helped me put out the fire in the hospital. Luckily, none of the unconscious people were hurt." Sally said.

"That's good..." Sonic said. He looked at Sally with sadness. He almost didn't want this to change. Sally became more docile over the five year period of peace. And while he still thought that the rebel, dangerous, Sally was hot, he loved Sally at peace...because he would never have to worry about her getting shot, kidnapped, or worse.

"Sonic! You said you were fine!" Sally scolded as she placed a hand to Sonic's bleeding forehead. "And your ankle! It's already swelling!"

"I'm fine! I didn't break anything!" Sonic said.

"You haven't changed that much since back then, have you?" Sally placed her hand on his cheek.

"It doesn't hurt there, Sal-"

Sally outright kissed him. Clover's eyes went wide as he wrote in his notebook.

"Taking notes Clover...?" Sonic asked once Sally let him go. Clover read his lips and shook his head.

The note said in big letters, "GET A ROOM! And aren't we supposed to be deactivating that turret?"

"Yeah Sal'!" Sonic said as he began to get up. More gunfire sprayed around them.

"We really need a plan." Sally pulled Sonic back down.

Shadow held Gale in his arms. Where was everyone? He came across and unconscious cat, slumped over a book she must have been reading.

"This is odd for Robotnick to do this..." Shadow said to himself.

He ran to the hospital. There were burn marks on the walls, but not that much was burned down.

"Robot parts!" Shadow exclaimed once he came across a robot arm. "But how could Sonic defeat them alone? He is the only one I have not found unconscious." Shadow muttered to himself. Gale stirred.

Shadow got her to a doctors room immediately. No one was there. Every doctor he saw was unconscious. He saw a nurse, and tried to wake her up. No good.

He shook her. Her eyes fluttered.

The nurse shrieked. But not out of surprise. Out of pain.

"How are you...how are you not..." She managed before she screamed again.

"How am I what?" Shadow demanded.

"That piercing screech! Argh!" She let out before slumping to the floor.

"Piercing screech? I don't hear anything..." Shadow said to no one.

"Whatever it is...I must be immune to it."

"Got it Sonic?" Sally asked. Sonic nodded. It was a simple plan. Sonic was to divert the turret's gunfire as Sally dove for the control box. There, Sally would shut the system down.

But Sonic still didn't like it. Robotnick basically invited them to destroy his turret. The odd design of the turret was uncanny as well. While there were gun holes like a normal one, there was a single, teched up one at the top, which seemed to be more powerful than the others. But as Sonic looked at the lone gun, he realized that it has never fired since he has seen it.

Clover tugged his arm. He held out a piece of paper.

"Be careful, please." It said in Clover's neat, etched handwriting.

"I will. I promise." Sonic said as he patted his shoulder. Clover nodded and smiled. Sonic wished he knew sign language.

Sonic closed his eyes.

Then he bolted. The gunshot's fired at his feet, but Sonic kicked in the speed, even though it hurt his ankle like a hot iron.

He saw Sally dart to his left out of his peripheral vision. She went directly behind it, safe from the bullets.

"Safe...good." Sonic said as he forced himself to go faster.

"Sonic!" Sally yelled in his earbud.

"What? What is it?" Sonic yelled back.

"I cut all the wires...it's not shutting down!"


	12. The Sacrifice

_**Sonic:The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 12**_

_**The Sacrifice**_

_**A **_lamp flickered on and off in the dusty room. The walls were rust covered, and the floor was dirty, and rough as concrete. The air smelled of mold and mildew, but the doctor did not care.

He watched as Sonic outran bullets. The doctor's cameras were everywhere, hidden. Robotnick stared endlessly at Sonic. He changed since he last saw him. His quills were longer, his blue was darker, his eyes had a sense of maturity in them, a sense that every living soul thought Sonic could never achieve.

Robotnick's cameras kept up with Sonic's jagged turns and sprints he used to flee the bullets.

There was no one to talk to here. No robot, no lackey. Just the doctor and his mind.

And silence. The past silence. The impending silence.

The silence that would always be there.

He stared down at the crude controls. Wires were exposed, buttons did not glow or have any color, but only did their action, and nothing more.

Decoration and flattery such as that were a thing of the past. A habit that died a terrible death five years ago.

He watched Sonic run. Dodge. Roll. Yell into his intercom. Sally was still against the back of the turret, desperately trying to shut it down. Sonic couldn't dodge forever. The doctor knew this.

He had a special plan for that. Sonic can dodge, but can he dodge something following him?

Sure, he has evaded complex codes of missiles that lock into him before. But this one was better, faster, stronger. Five years in the making of a single bullet. It was perfect. It had to be perfect.

The doctor gazed down at the two buttons.

He pressed the first one.

"This is step four."

The doctor watched.

A pang of panic shuddered in Sonic.

"What do you mean it isn't shutting down?! If you broke all the wires-" Sonic began to yell, still outrunning the bullets.

"I broke them! All of them! Nothing is happening!" Sally yelled. You could hear the struggle in her voice.

Suddenly, the guns drooped. The bullets stopped searing Sonic's tracks. Sonic stopped. Sally must have shut it down.

He fell to his knees. His legs were pulsing. He must have been running for at least fifteen minuets in a full burst. Sonic normally, on his best day, did that for a minute max.

"Sonic!" Sally's voice came muffled. He realized that his earplugs were turned off. He gingerly pulled them out. The sound was gone.

"Did the bullets touch you?" Sally immediately checked him over.

"You turned it off!" Sonic choked out as Sally enveloped him in a hug.

"Sonic...I didn't do anything." Sally admitted, "My hands were digging through my pockets when that thing shut down." She said.

The doctor saw the two. Right in front of the turret. Hugging. Smiling. They were happy. That's how his life could have been, had he been normal.

But he wasn't. He didn't mind.

The second button lay untouched.

A chuckle rose in the aged doctor's throat. It turned into a screeching laugh, then a scratching, inhuman howl.

"This..." He said once his laughter died.

"This is step five."

He pressed the button.

"What?" Sonic breathed. He wanted rest. He wanted to find everyone. He wanted to help the ones that were hurt. Get back to peace again.

"That means it's not over. That means-" Sonic began.

But he never finished his sentence.

The top gun, the odd one, moved. It spun towards Sally, locking on her. Sally looked up, seconds too late.

The bullet went faster than Sonic's eyes could trace. In an instance, Sally was on the ground, letting loose a strangled mix of a gasp and scream.

"Sally-!" Sonic barely managed before the gun turned again.

Straight at him.

He got to his feet and ran for his life.

The bullet fired. Zero to one hundred in less that a second.

But Sonic was already well past two hundred.

Sonic sidestepped to his right, expecting the bullet to hit the wall to his left.

But his rapid eyes saw nothing.

Sonic realized that this bullet was following him. Again he sidestepped, ducked, rolled, and preformed every well practiced evasive move he knew.

The bullet still followed.

Sonic had no choice but to pour in the speed.

Black. That's all Tails saw when he opened his eyes. At first, he feared he was blind, but then the darkness wavered. Like gas.

Like...smoke.

Tails coughed violently. He tried to push himself to his knees, but his arms were weak with the smoke draining his energy. He gripped the table leg and pulled himself to his knees.

He tried to stand, but nearly fell over again. Stars filled his vision. He couldn't.

"I have to turn the machine off...I have to open the door...I have to help stop Robotnick...I have to..." His thoughts were scrambled. He desperately reached over the table to feel for the switch. He found a wire. The switch to turn it off was too high to hit.

He pulled the wire without hesitation. Even though breaking the machine, it was clearly worth it.

Tails began to crawl over to the door. He coughed more. The smoky air was not satisfying.

He slammed on the door.

"Help..." He moaned, "Please...help..."

The door began to break. Tails' arms gave out. He managed to back away.

There, busting the door down, was Knuckles.

Down alleyways, around buildings, even on rooftops. Sonic ran everywhere. The bullet still followed his path easily. Sweat beaded on Sonic's forehead for the first time in years. How long had he been running since the attack started? Too long. For him to grow tired, especially on such an adrenaline rush, was unheard of.

But he kept going. Soon, cramps began pulsing in waves through Sonic's legs in mid-run. Sonic gritted his teeth, knowing that screaming would only halter his air flow, which could slow him down.

Sonic's hurt ankle was now just another pain to ignore. He had to shake this bullet. If not, then his ankle, or probably his legs as a whole, could be permanently damaged.

A sharp pain tingled like the tip of a knife on one of Sonic's back quills. He picked up the pace out of reflex. The pain stopped. He risked a glance behind him.

There, inches away, the blurry, ever moving bullet chased him.

Sally only saw and heard fragments of the world around her.

A flash of light.

Sonic running.

The sun in her eyes.

A figure above her.

She felt herself being hoisted up in someone's arms.

"Sonic...?" She absently said, not knowing wether it was her voice or her mind.

The figure shook its head. Long ears draped down.

"Clover...be brave..."

Sally went limp.

Sonic could not think of a way out of this high speed trap. No matter what he did, the bullet kept right on his course.

And he was slowing down.

Sonic's mind raced. That riddle might be of help. He quoted it in his head.

"A trap for the trapped, a paralyzing scream, a life kidnapped, a loss of a dream. Find your speed, and find your light. Decode this creed, try as you might, you won't save all from either plight."

Sonic knew what the paralyzing scream was. And the trap...

"This must be the trap." Sonic gasped out as he turned a sharp corner, almost scraping his side doing so. The bullet still came.

"But the plight? Bullets? That's been a common thing...the only common thing." Sonic ducked under a table and ran out. The bullet matched his exact path.

"It means...not everyone will make it out of this unhurt." Sonic breathed. He thought of Sally.

But if this bullet kept on, he might end up the same way.

Gale woke strapped to a bed. She had failed. Her mission, was trashed. She looked around to see doctors bustling about.

She felt a couple of bands of cloth around her head.

"Shadow...?" She croaked once she saw Shadow staring out the window.

"They took it out." He bluntly said as he loosened the bed straps. "You're free now." He placed a hand on her head bandage. She placed one there too.

The voice in Gale's head was gone. No voice to yell and echo unendingly in her mind.

"Thank you." Gale said. Shadow let his arm drop.

She gazed into his eyes.

But nothing happened.

"Some of my powers are gone." Gale said as she stood.

"That's because they were in the chip. The doctor wanted to make sure that you lost something as much as he did, if the time came when you were to take it out." Shadow walked her out of the hospital, ignoring the pestering of the nurses and doctors.

Suddenly, once outside, Shadow saw a young dog running with a limp figure in his arms.

He saw Sally. Her face was pale, and there was a single, dark red blood stain on her white shirt. Blood dripped from Sally's wounds to the dog's trembling hands.

"But...Sonic would never let Sally get hurt..." Shadow breathed. He stopped the dog and picked up Sally in his arms.

"What happened?" He asked the dog. The dog wrote furiously on paper. Paper? Why-

Then it hit him. This boy was deaf.

The paper read.

"She got shot. Another bullet is after Sonic. It keeps following him. I think she is "

The writing stopped there. The dog hesitantly wrote the last word.

"Dead."

Sonic ran. He was at the end of his rope. He had no ideas. He had no plan. Worst of all, he had no energy left.

His eyes drooped. His legs no longer had sensation, but an automatic impulse to run. The wounds from before bled, threatening to make the hedgehog collapse at any second.

"I...I could slow down maybe...I could just rest...a little...no harm in it..." Sonic slurred in between breaths.

"Sonic!" A voice boomed.

He turned to see Shadow, running beside him.

"Where is Sally?!" Sonic immediately gasped out once he saw blood on Shadow's arms.

"She is at the hospital! Worry about your situation!" Shadow growled. The bullet stung Sonic's back again. Sonic cried out in pain. He couldn't go any faster...it hurt too much.

"I'll try to divert it! Just hold on for a couple more seconds!" Shadow barked as he drifted right, away from Sonic. At this point, Sonic didn't care who helped him.

For once, Sonic was desperate.

Sonic saw Shadow's black blur circle in front of him. Then behind him.

"Sonic! You need to get some distance in between you and the bullet! If you do, I can come in between and stop it!" Sonic heard Shadow shout.

Sonic let loose a groan.

"Faster...faster...faster..." He tersely willed himself to speed up. Almost instantly, sound ceased.

Sonic just broke the sound barrier.

The world was a blur. He looked behind him. The bullet was a good five feet away from him. Sonic wished he could stay in this soundless place for awhile, but breaking the sound barrier took the remaining energy out of Sonic.

Sonic slowed down. The bullet wasn't behind him. He saw Shadow running...the bullet was after him now.

"Now, go after the Chaos Emeralds! If you turn Super, then you can destroy the bullet!" Shadow yelled as he ran.

Sonic stopped running. He gasped as cramps came like a brick through a window.

"Move Sonic! Now!" Shadow barked. Sonic's bag was only a few yards away. He just had to get to it.

Suddenly, the bullet sped up. Shadow, unaware of this, made a turn.

"Shadow!" Sonic screeched.

The bullet went straight through Shadow's arm. Shadow howled in pain and fell to the ground. The bullet began to turn around.

To finish the job.

Time slowed down. The emeralds were but five feet away. If Sonic were to get them, it would guarantee his safety.

But that means he would not be able to get to Shadow, who screams on the ground as the bullet closes in to kill him.

Sonic glanced at the emeralds, then at Shadow. Shadow would not survive this.

But could he?

He hoped so.

Sonic ran, abandoning all hope of destroying the bullet, and shoved Shadow harshly away.

The world went white. Sonic felt his bones vibrate. His teeth clamped shut, his eyes closed so tightly that it hurt. A persistent ringing shrilled his ears. He saw his knees buckle. He placed a hand on his waist. Blood?

He coughed. More blood.

"Sonic?!" He heard Shadow's voice shake. He never heard it do that, "No...NO! Gale! Get help! Get help NOW!"

Sonic felt himself being picked up. An indescribable pain blasted though him.

Then Sonic saw nothing.


	13. Freedom and Capture

_**Sonic: The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 13**_

_**Freedom and Capture**_

_**Shadow **_held Sonic in his arms as Gale flew over.

"You...idiot!" Shadow yelled, his eyes wide, his jaw slack "Why...why did you-?!" Shadow yelled, but Sonic was limp in his arms, either unconscious or too exhausted to move. Both were likely.

"I'll get him to the hospital. You need to finish up here. No doubt...there is going to be another attack." Gale laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I can't believe he..." Shadow whispered.

"It is natural for him. He did it all the time..." Gale gently took him from his arms. A small whisper passed the blue hedgehog's lips.

"Shadow...be careful. You are the only one left." Gale's wings extended out. Small tears were in her eyes.

"I may not be Sonic, but..." Shadow began, but then realized that Gale was staring at him with longing eyes.

"I didn't mean it like that." She said, then flapped her white wings twice, extending to the sky, until she was out sight.

Shadow was left alone, and for the first time, he was able to scan the damages of the town.

There were some houses on the edge of the city, that were burning. Others were damaged heavily: their doors destroyed, their rooms trashed, their owners...killed.

Or missing. Shadow desperately hoped they were only missing.

Everyone was conscious now. Conscious, and working. Helping the wounded, putting out fires, playing doctor when none was available.

The damage done to the town at such a sudden time was shocking for everyone there. Even Shadow couldn't help but silently despair for the town, that looked like it never left war.

A jet scream filled the afternoon air. Shadow scanned the skies.

A single, robotic figure shot down. Shadow bolted for the town entrance, determined to keep this town safe. All the heroes as he knew them...we're hurt. Some because of him directly.

He was no perfect hero, but he was going to pay Sonic back for what he did.

He finally reached the entrance. There was dust and dirt in the air. The robot must have landed hard.

As the dust cleared, Shadow drew in a sharp breath.

"It's been a long time..." Shadow blinked.

"It has." Came the metallic reply.

"...Metal Sonic." Shadow breathed.

Gale ran in to see the now chaotic hospital. Almost everyone was injured by the scream. Some were driving when it hit, others were underwater, or in a pool.

Gale saw one that had apparently been next to a stove when it happened. She winced and looked away quickly.

Sonic stirred in her arms. His hand weakly gripped her shirt, and the other tentatively covering his bullet wound.

"Shh...stay still. I'm getting you to help." Gale said as she turned a corner. There had to be a doctor available somewhere around here.

The hedgehog mumbled something in response.

"Can't..." He mumbled clearer.

Gale spotted the doctor that she saw earlier. His name tag read "Dr. Quack".

"Sir? Sir!" She waved him from his work.

"I am quite pre-" The doctor stopped short when he saw Sonic in her arms.

"Good lord! Follow me! Quickly!" He motioned for Gale to follow. She did. "Daline! Get the stretcher, now!" He called out to a thin, curvaceous rabbit. She sprinted and wheeled it over. The three lowered Sonic onto it.

"Quack..?" Sonic's eyes opened and squinted at the doctor, as if the very words were a challenge, "Can't..." Sonic mumbled again. He looked down on his bullet wound.

"Get the others!" Quack ordered Daline. She ran off. "Gale, help me push this along."

They pushed the wheeled stretcher down the busy hallway.

Sonic's head lolled to one side. His eyes were barely open.

"This many...people...got hurt..." He mumbled. His eyes were unable to focus, but clearly he knew what was going on. He blinked many times.

"Don't worry about that right now, Sonic." Doctor Quack said as he held Sonic's limp hand.

Sonic narrowed his eyes as if to argue, but only closed them.

Gale and Doctor Quack wheeled the stretcher into a hospital room. There Daline and four others waited.

"Daline, get the oxygen. Marcus, I want gauzes and antiseptic in my hands, now. Marlene, get the anesthesia." The doctor barked orders.

"Gale, please leave. Let me do my work." He said quickly. Gale walked out and leaned her head against the doorframe.

All this. It was all her fault. If only she could tell him now...now that she was free. Now that she could remember everything she did...

Shadow ducked a buzz saw. Metal Sonic had obviously improved. There were gun holes all down his arms, so he could fire in any direction. His hands were replaced with buzz saws, and his metallic quills were transformed into drills. He was a killing machine.

However, much brawn did not equal little brain. If anything, this new Metal Sonic was smarter.

But Shadow held his ground. Unlike Sonic, Shadow made ranged attacks as well as close combat. Not only that, but he dealt every blow with Chaos Energy, giving it extra damage.

However, Metal Sonic matched up well.

Shadow felt pressure in his chest as he released a bolt of Chaos Energy. The swift, lightning like, bolt slammed right into Metal Sonic's chest, sending quakes of electricity through the robot's body.

Suddenly, Metal stopped quaking. It stood on it's feet, very still. It held its buzz saw out. There, crackling as if it was its own, was Chaos Energy.

"You treat me as if I have not changed. You will learn of the mistake you have made." Metal said as the blast on its buzz saw hand was released.

Shadow could not dodge the deafening blast as it enveloped him in electricity.

"He...he absorbed it! Like Gale!" Shadow thought angrily.

The electricity ceased as Shadow fell to the ground.

"Not only did he absorb it...he used a more powerful version..." Shadow silently said to himself.

"So easily defeated. You simply were not ready. None of you were."

That was the last thing Shadow heard before Metal's elbow rammed hard down on his neck.

Gale paced. There was nothing she could do from out here. She could not stand the atmosphere of the hospital anymore, so she walked outside.

She jumped into the air and flew. This was the only blessing of her curse...the ability to fly. She now remembered everything from her past. The chip's job was to contain memories that the doctor did not want her to have.

But now that it was gone, she knew everything.

And she didn't like it.

She remembered what really happened that day of the tunnel collapse. She remembered why she crashed in Knothole.

Tears began to form in her eyes as she saw the smoke and fire below. All this...she could have stopped it. She could have resisted the doctor's will, and maybe all this never would have happened.

Gale closed her eyes, shutting the tears in. No use crying. Not over something that can't change.

She looked down. Her eyes widened.

"Shadow!" She cried as she saw Shadow on the ground at a robot's feet. This robot, looked like Sonic.

She saw the robot hoist unconscious Shadow on to its back. It's jet propelled feet created smoke as it took off into the air.

"Time to see what these things can do..." Gale said as she soared in pursuit.

To say that Metal Sonic was fast was an understatement. He flew like a jet in the cloudless evening sky. But Gale was fast as well.

Faster than a jet? Not quite. But Metal Sonic was carrying Shadow, which slowed him down.

Gale's ears folded back as she flapped her wings furiously. Though they were broad and meant for gliding and long distance flying, she could still maintain a powerful speed.

She sped up to Metal.

"Let him go!" Gale yelled out over the roar of the air.

"Quite the poor choice of words." The robot did as he was asked.

Shadow began to plummet to the ground.

Gale's eyes widened as she dived down.

Sonic's eyes fluttered open. Three figures stood above him. The blurry silhouettes bustled everywhere. Sonic blinked, then again. The images began to make sense, to the point where he could almost make out a face.

"Quack..." Sonic slurred, his mind fuzzy with the fatigue dulling his senses.

"Marlene! I said give me the anesthetics!" He yelled over to a white mouse. She scurried away to a cabinet.

"You...gave me some...already..." Sonic managed.

"No, Sonic, I haven't. Now, please, stop talking." The doctor said.

"I'm serious Quack...you gave me something...I feel...pins and needles...in my..." He breathed out, but then coughed. Blood. Again.

"Where? In where?" Doctor Quack leaned towards Sonic to hear him better.

Sonic's eyes drifted. He couldn't hold on...black was swirling around the edges of his vision. He felt nauseous...so nauseous.

"Sonic! Where? Tell me! I need to help you!" Quack said quickly, determined to get his answer before the hedgehog slipped away into oblivion.

"M-my...my...legs."

Sonic's eyes rolled back.


	14. Blurs of View

_**Sonic:The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 14**_

_**Blurs of View**_

Sally gasped awake.

"Sally, you're awake!" Cream said as she took hold of her hand.

"What...happened?" Sally asked weakly. An IV was in her forearm.

"I'm not sure...all I remember was this really bad noise. Then I woke up about an hour ago." Cream placed her hands on her knees.

"That's right...she couldn't have remembered anything." Sally said silently to himself.

A nurse walked in. She had a needle in her hand.

"Cream honey, I think I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Sally needs some checking up here." The nurse said.

"Okay..." Cream gripped Sally's hand tightly. "I'll see you later, okay?" Cream said, trying to be cheerful.

"Yes, of course." Sally managed a smile. Cream matched it and walked out.

"Hello, Miss Acorn. Or should I call you Miss Miracle?" The tabby cat grinned a bit at her statement.

"I guess I am lucky...or prepared that is..." Sally said, glancing over to the table no more than three feet away, which had a white, bloodied vest on top.

Her bulletproof vest.

"I'm guessing that if I didn't have that on, I'd be dead right now?" Sally asked somewhat absently.

"Yes...you are very lucky, but sadly that vest didn't protect you from everything." The cat nurse sat in a chair next to Sally's bed. Sally thought about sitting up, but she felt...nauseous somehow.

"How...? I have probably been out for hours...on an IV, with oxygen being pumped into me, yet I feel nauseous?" Sally pondered silently to herself.

"Miss Acorn...our first stop paramedics managed to remove pieces of the bullet from the skin of your back." The tabby became serious, "When we examined it, we found traces of poison. A degenerative poison." The tabby paused.

"Poison? Are you telling me that the bullet was coated in-" Sally reacted quickly.

"Now, hold on. This here..." The nurse held up the needle, "This is a temporary antidote. Until we find a permanent cure, this will have to do. Please hold out your arm." She asked. Sally held out her arm as the tourniquet was wrapped around her forearm. The needle pierced into her skin as the nurse kept her eyes downcast.

"Her attitude changed quickly. Sullen. Maybe she lost someone." Sally thought.

"Now, Sally...there is some questions I need to ask you." The nurse said as she wiped the needle and set it aside.

"Alright. Go ahead." Sally sat up, but her arms became shaky. She hid it well as she resorted to leaning back.

After many questions, the nurse and Sally both sat in silence. Sally was sitting up now, staring at the floor in shock. How could she have not noticed? She, back then, knew it probably would have happened...but now?

It wasn't like they were kids anymore. Sonic was twenty one, now, and Sally only one year junior. They had been dating four years, and were always planning their future.

And that future, included the two of them becoming married.

It wasn't like Sally wasn't okay with it...Sonic, long ago, had told her he wanted to marry her, but could never afford a ring. Sonic never brought up the situation again...he felt she deserved a ring, and if he didn't have one, then she couldn't say yes.

And that he had no right to ask.

Everything was anticlimactic since then. Sally shouldn't be surprised.

But she was. Surprised wasn't the word, exactly...but perhaps anxious. Perhaps proud.

"Well...Miss Acorn, against all odds, it's clear. You...you are pregnant. Two weeks pregnant.

And your baby has survived everything."

Tails felt cold. He tried to open his eyes, but the room was so bright. He felt a plastic muzzle being placed on his mouth. Oxygen.

It smelled sweet to Tails. Normally, the ambiance of a hospital was eerie to him, but in this case, it meant safety. It meant he was going to be alright.

Tails laughed softly to himself. Sonic hated hospitals with a defiant passion. Doctor Quack eventually coaxed him to go to one after a battle one day. It wasn't like Sonic had a choice in the matter, though. In the condition he was in, Tails would have dragged him there himself.

The room began to become clearer. The oxygen was working, as the wheezing lessened. Tails blinked and sat up.

"Now, slow down. You inhaled a lot of smoke." The raccoon doctor cautioned.

Knuckles walked in slowly, as if he needed to be invited.

"Knuckles!" Tails said as he grinned sheepishly.

"Hey, don't ever do your projects in the middle of a battle again." He said as he walked over and took a seat next to his bed.

"Yeah...I had no idea it was going to do that." Tails blushed nervously, "I'm actually lucky it didn't explode on me." Tails' ears drooped. He didn't help the battle one bit, only made it worse.

"Hey, look, I know what your thinking." Knuckles placed a hand on his shoulder, "All of us passed out. That noise was everywhere." Knuckles said with a hint of a growl. He hated the fact that he was helpless too.

"Then how did we...win?" Tails asked.

"Sonic and Sally and Clover were awake. Sally made earplugs as a theory. Too bad it never got to us." Knuckles explained.

The doctor busied himself filling out forms.

"I wonder what happened to Sonic..." Tails absently said behind his oxygen mask.

"I don't have a clue." Knuckles shrugged, although you could see the concern in his eyes.

Tails tapped the doctor's shoulder.

"How long do I have to stay here?" Tails asked.

"Just for the remainder of the day, for evaluation purposes. I suggest you stay on the oxygen for an hour more. And to take this with you when you leave." He placed an inhaler in the fox's palm.

"An inhaler? But...I don't have asthma." Tails turned it over in his palm.

"You may need it. Along with the fifteen minuets of oxygen daily, you may need this when you feel light headed." The raccoon explained.

"Okay...but, do you know if Sonic is here? If he got hurt or anything?" Tails asked as he stood. He took the mask off.

The raccoon pursed his lips.

"I'm afraid he got shot. He is in the Intensive Care ward." He let out.

Tails' eyes went wide.

Sally wandered around her room. It was prohibited for her to do so...but she didn't care. The nurse said that her spine was in a tentative condition, on the verge of cracking. The poison wasn't much help either.

But, Sally couldn't stop worrying about Sonic. When she passed out, she saw an already exhausted Sonic running from a bullet.

"Could he have gotten hit? He could be here...he could be-"

Suddenly, the door clicked. Sally jumped in her bed and placed the covers over her legs.

"Quit trying to hide it, Miss Acorn. You had your legs draped over the edge of the bed when I left." The tabby grinned and shook her head.

"Alright, so you caught me. I feel fine." Sally gave up the act and walked to her.

"I still suggest to rest often." The tabby placed her clipboard on the table, "I do hope you are feeling better, however, because I want you to follow me." The cat walked to the door. Sally followed.

"Is...Sonic here? I know that he probably didn't get hurt because he-" Sally began, already dismissing the fact that Sonic could get hurt.

"He is." The nurse quickly said, keeping her eyes forward, not wanting to see her reaction.

Sally's heart sank. Sonic, hurt? Enough to be hospitalized?

There was a pause. They still walked down the white hallways. She came back to reality.

"Where is he, then?! I need to see him!" Sally strode in front of the tabby, placing a stern hand on her shoulder.

"He is in Intensive Care! That's all I know! I was going to check him, and thought you could tell him...the news...when he woke up." The nurse gently took Sally's hand off her shoulder.

"Woke up?!" Sally gasped. It's never been that bad. Sally tried to remember the last time Sonic had been knocked unconscious. Only once or twice. And one of them was due to a sedative.

"Yes, woke up...please just follow me." The tabby's patience was thin. Sally no longer asked any questions, but briskly walked next to the nurse, her stomach twisting in knots.

The two walked for some time until they reached the back of the ICU. Finally, they reached a door.

When the nurse opened the door, she quickly closed it.

"They aren't done." She said, beginning to walk away. Shock was evident on her face.

"What do you mean..." Sally stepped in front of her again, "'They aren't done.'?"

The cat stared at the ground, not giving a response.

"I said-" Sally began.

"Please just come back to your room with me." She stuttered. She grabbed her hand.

"What? No! I want to see him!" Sally wrenched her hand away. As she turned to the door, the nurse stepped in front of her and blocked her way.

"I'm sorry, but you are not permitted to-"

"I was permitted five seconds ago, then suddenly I'm not? Move." Sally narrowed her eyes in defiance.

They stared at each other for a couple of seconds. Sally wondered if she could take her down in her exhausted state. She had lied about feeling fine, but that led to seeing Sonic, and she was fine with that.

After two more beats, Sally darted to the nurse's left, swiftly running behind her towards the door.

She opened and closed the door quickly as the tabby yelled and ran towards her. She caught sight of a chair, then stuffed it underneath the handle.

"Hmph. That was easy enough."She said grinning.

"Let me in there! Sally?!" The nurse banged on the door.

"You're not permitted!" Sally jeered as she spun around.

But what she saw, dissolved her grin in seconds.

Sonic was in the bed, many bandages wrapped around his waist, blood covering them. The cuts on his forehead and arms were bandaged, but bleeding little. One of his eyes was swollen purple. He was unconscious as many doctors whirred about him, sticking needles into his arms, or placing more bandages on his bullet wound.

Sally's eyes went wide as all energy left her. Her knees buckled as two nurses in the room caught her.

"What is she doing here?" One asked the other.

"I don't know..." He said, removing the chair from the doorway.

"Sonic...no..." Sally breathed as they held her up. She felt numb. Her eyes wide, her eyebrows too high, her pupils too dilated.

But then they began to lead her outside.

"No!" Desperation began to well up inside of her, "I need to be with him! You can't do this!" Sally wrenched against the strong arms that held her back.

Sonic's eyes twitched, but were too weary open.

"Please! I need to be here for him! You can't, you can't!" Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Sally, please. Calm down!" One nurse said.

"I will NOT calm down! He is in the worst shape I've seen him! I've got to-!"

But then she felt a needle pierce her neck. The world grew fuzzy.

Sonic's eyes barley opened.

"Sonic...I don't wanna...you can't...all of you..." Sally slurred, the sedative taking over. She took a couple of swaying steps before she fell.

Gale's eyes stung as she folded her wings, diving like a rock towards Shadow.

And the ground. Can't forget that.

She neared Shadow, falling unknowingly to his doom, and reached her arms out.

She gripped his waist and pressed him to her, hard.

Then she let her wings out. The wind hit so hard that she cried out. Shadow stirred and glared up at her. He gave a confused glance as he was in her arms.

Gale blushed and just gripped his wrists instead. He hung on under her. She wondered if it was just her imagination, that she saw Shadow giving the most unnoticeable of blushes.

The familiar jet scream filled the air again. Shadow let one hand go as he aimed at Metal Sonic.

"If he shoots my energy back, absorb it, will you?" Shadow shouted up.

"Good idea, keep him off me! Or we are both falling!" Gale shouted.

"Would you expect any less of me?" Shadow held his palm out at Metal, who was quickly approaching. He fired.

The shot missed. Shadow let out a groan in frustration. He fired again, and this time it hit.

Metal was launched back, and then spiraled in the air as the electricity enveloped him. But then he fired back the electricity at the two.

"Gale!" Shadow yelled, helpless dangling from Gale's hands.

"Got it!" Gale said as she absorbed the energy in her palm. She threw it back.

"Join the club Metal!" Gale bellowed as the robot fell.

She slowed her flight down.

"You've changed." Shadow said from below.

Gale looked down.

"Ever since the chip got taken out, you've just changed dramatically. I've noticed." Shadow said, placing both hands on one of Gale's wrists, leaving one of her arms able to move freely.

"Is it...for the better or worse?" Gale asked.

"Better...Much better." Shadow said.

Gale smiled down at him. Maybe things could come out better than expected.

Suddenly, a searing blast hit Gale's left wing. She cried out and began to fall to the ground. Shadow still kept a tight hold on her wrist. They both began to fall.

"Gale! Shadow screamed as he took hold on both her wrists.

Gale's eyes struggled to open. He pulled her closer.

"I can't...I..." She whispered.

"It's okay." Shadow said.

Gale stared at him with tears.

"This is the end isn't it?" She gasped. Shadow nodded.

But then, Shadow reached his arms around her, enveloping her small frame...

...And kissed her.

The wind of falling crushed them in their embrace. Despite her imminent death quickly approaching, Gale forced herself to enjoy this moment...Shadow kissed her fiercely.

Finally, he let go. His eyes were still closed, his hands still wrapped around her waist.

But then he pulled out a green, glistening, Chaos emerald.

"Got you." He winked.

Gale barely had time to blink before the two disappeared.


	15. Empty Awakening

_**Sonic:The Last Standing**_

_**Chapter 15**_

_**Empty Awakening**_

Sonic sat next to the princess. He didn't know what to say...his dad had told him that she would rule the kingdom one day.

"This girl?" Sonic thought to himself, his naïve eight year old mind whirring, "She looks just as normal as anyone I know!" He caught another glance at her. Long auburn hair, neatly pinned into a braid. Beautiful clothes...quaint mint green shoes. She looked like a princess for sure.

"Would you quit staring at me?" Sally blurted out in a whining tone, "It makes me nervous!" She stated firmly.

"Well, excuse me, princess!" Sonic said in a mocking tone, turning his head away. The girl blushed, then finally turned to face him. "My dad is still talking with your dad isn't he?" She leaned to peek inside the doorway. Yep, still babbling away.

"Uh-huh. Kingdom this, and future that. Huge stuff that makes my head hurt!" The hedgehog ranted out as he laid down on his back in the grass.

"Well...I know it's important...somehow. My dad says I will know all about it when I grow up." The young princess said proudly.

"You're a princess. That's what you're supposed to do!" The hedgehog kept his eyes closed, his ear twitching every so often absently, obviously disinterested.

"Hmph! Fine then, uh..." Sally began to retort, but had forgotten the blue hedgehog's name. Again.

"It's Sonic! Do I need to wear a name tag or something? Son-ic!" He opened his eyes and said sternly, then closed them again. But just to make sure he didn't hurt this princess's feelings, he smirked.

Just a little.

Sonic heard voices. He felt so tired. More sleep...that's all he wanted at the moment.

"Mmph...go away. Sleeping. Not here right now." He thought. He felt...nice. Not cold, or hot. Not sore, or even the usual buzz he felt in his legs. Just...nothing. It felt great. Comfortable. Like he could stay still forever. Numb. He didn't want to move, although the voices he heard became more specific. He heard male voices. A couple of those. Some banging. But then...then...

"Sally." His mind instantly recognized the voice. Memories flooded back. A protective urge surged through his veins. The numb bliss was fading.

"No, NO! I want...see...be...him! Can't...this!" Her yelling voice faded in and out of the muffled mess. Sonic tried to make sense of it, but his head throbbed. He then did the impossible. He opened his eyes. Light flooded in. He could barely see.

But he saw enough to see Sally being carried out. Anger surged within him. What did they do to her?

He began to see the room more clearly now. The last wave of recall settled within him. He had been shot.

Protecting Shadow.

"He is going to hate me for that. Tell me it was stupid..." Sonic thought, but then realized had he not blocked that bullet, Shadow would be dead. It was worth it.

"Sonic?" Doctor Quack knelt beside his bed, "How are you feeling?" Doctor Quack said once his eyes fully opened. Sonic opened his mouth to reply, but his mouth was dry. The doctor patiently waited for the hedgehog to find his voice.

"Dizzy...numb...am I floating?" Sonic croaked out. The room began to tilt. Sonic moved his hand to the sheets of the bed to steady the imaginary lean.

"No, no, Sonic, you are not floating." The doctor said.

"Aw...that would have been cool...with no Emeralds..." Sonic slurred as his blinked a couple of times, trying to get the world around him into a clearer focus.

"Okay...now, did you have any odd dreams while you were unconscious? A nightmare maybe?" Quack asked.

"No...unless you think my childhood is a nightmare." Sonic smirked, but then remembered the rough encounters with Robotnick taking his Uncle Chuck. "Well, wait..." He narrowed his eyes.

"Point taken Sonic. The dizziness should wear off in a minute." Doctor Quack said as he got up and put needles away. Sonic counted at least ten before he decided stop counting. So many needles...and they all had blood on them. Like the doctor said, the disorientation began to subside, and Sonic took into account more details. The room was quite large. It had a spare bed a couple of feet away from his, meant for a visitor to stay over night with a patient Sonic guessed. There was a TV in the corner of the room, with a game system Sonic couldn't remember the name of. There was a small couch, doctor's tables, and many machines.

Doctor Quack hadn't said a thing yet, but nervously shuffled around the room, cleaning things, straightening already straight things.

"Quack?" Sonic spoke up once his nausea calmed, "How long are these numbing drugs going to last...?" He shifted, but his feeling stopped just below his hips. He knew that his legs would probably be in excruciating pain right now, and that he was probably on some strong pain killer.

But this had to be the best pain killer he ever felt.

The doctor stiffened. He kept his back towards Sonic.

Sonic's brows furrowed. He knew just how to get his attention. He placed his palms behind him and pushed himself into a sitting position. Sonic saw stars in his eyes as the heart monitor spiked, beeping loudly.

"Sonic! You shouldn't-!" The doctor rushed over and eased Sonic back down.

"You didn't answer my question, Doc." Sonic jutted in.

The doctor closed his eyes and sat down.

"Look, Doc...if my insurance didn't cover this then-" Sonic began sheepishly.

"No, no!" The doctor chuckled nervously, "It has nothing to do with money..." He sighed, his head somewhat downcast. He opened his eyes, which were full of a sense of desperation. Sonic had never seen Quack look at a loss.

"Then...what the heck is it? You look anxious. All I asked is how long these drugs would last-" Sonic began.

"Sonic," The doctor placed both hands on the hedgehogs shoulders, "You aren't on any medication. I took you off hours ago...if I didn't you would be saying nothing but nonsense by now!" The doctor blurted out.

"Wait...wh-what...?" Sonic breathed. He looked down at his legs.

Sonic narrowed his eyes. He pulled the blanket off of him and tried to move his feet. There was no sensation. His hips could move...but below, nothing. He tried his ankles...then his lower legs...then his upper thigh.

Nothing. He gripped the bedrail hard.

"What...the heck Quack...' He breathed out. His voice cracked.

"Sonic...we tried." Doctor Quack looked into the hedgehogs eyes. "The bullet just went too deep...it cut ino your nerves..we were lucky to save you from being paralyzed from chest down-" The doctor said slowly, but at the word "paralyzed" something in Sonic snapped.

"N-no! This has to be some sort of mistake! This can't...I can't..." Sonic snarled as he tried to will his legs to move. Numb. Sonic let out a small groan in frustration.

"Sonic...I..." Quack managed. His own voice was shaking. He saw the hedgehog's expression slowly change. Disbelief. Anger. Shock. Desperation.

Sonic's eyes were too wide now. His hands shook. He blinked.

"No tears..." He thought to himself. "No tears...not here...not anywhere..." He willed silenly.

"Is there anything I can do...to help you?" Doctor Quack said as Sonic clentched the bed rail silently.

"Sally...and Tails...I know they want to see me. Five minuets...then let them in." Sonic let out simply, his hands still clutched tight.

"And for goodness' sake Quack, turn that darn camera off before I break it myself." Sonic whispered bitterly. The doctor reached up and turned it off.

Quack let the door shut.

And that's when Sonic let go. He stared at his legs, and screamed. How could this happen to him?! He removed the bandages. His legs were deeply cut, but Sonic did not care. He could not feel them anyhow.

Sonic...for the first time since childhood, wept. Bitterly. Openly.

To no one.

Empty.


End file.
